Cooking with Kristin: Arborio Rice Pudding & Whiskey Soaked Raisins

I've been in love with rice pudding since my next door neighbor introduced me to KozyShack, saying, "It's better than homemade."  I know this is really not a cool thing to say, but frankly, I've always liked it better than homemade myself.  It just has the perfect consistency. 

But, one of the benefits of making your own rice pudding is that you can eat it warm and make it in enormous batches, which is it's own special pleasure.  Here's the version I made recently, which was quick, easy, and delicious.

Arborio Rice Pudding (Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

• 1/2 cup Arborio rice
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring it to a gentle boil and then turn it down to a simmer, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom, for about 30 to 40 minutes. Taste the rice to check for doneness. The rice should be soft, but should still have a fair amount of liquid in it.  The rice will absorb a fair amount of the liquid after it's done cooking, so to get the right texture, be sure not to over-cook it.

Pour into serving bowls and stir in and garnish with whiskey-soaked raisins. Serve immediately, or chill to serve later.

Whiskey-Soaked Raisins

• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup whiskey (I used Jack Daniels black label)

In a mug, pour whiskey over raisins so they are covered completely.  Let sit for at least 40 minutes, and up to overnight.  Enjoy!